Monday, May 31, 2010

Al-Qaeda's Third In Command Reportedly Killed

Al Qaeda says its No. 3 man and commander of its operations in Afghanistan has died, according to a group that monitors Islamist websites.

Al Qaeda announced the death of Mustafa Abu Yazid in a message posted on such websites on Monday, the Maryland-based SITE Intelligence Group said. While the message didn't detail the circumstances of Yazid's death, it did say his wife, three of his daughters, a granddaughter and others were killed, according to SITE.

Yazid, an Egyptian national, is believed to be a financial manager for al Qaeda, as well as a co-founder of the terrorist group, according to SITE.

In the past, Yazid has made numerous statements on jihadist websites and in video releases from al Qaeda's media arm, al Sahab.

Most recently, he announced that Al Qaeda took responsibility for a December 30 attack on a base in eastern Afghanistan that killed seven CIA officers and consultants and a Jordanian army captain. He said the attack avenged the death of Baitullah Mehsud, leader of the Taliban in Pakistan who was killed in a missile strike last August, and al Qaeda operatives Saleh al-Somali and Abdullah al-Libi.

One senior U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity told NBC News that Saeed was killed in an attack by a missile-carrying Predator drone aircraft. The strike was said to have happened last week.

"In some respects, Sheik Saeed's death is more important for al-Qaida operations than if bin Laden or Zawahiri was killed," said Roger Cressey, former deputy chief for counterterrorism at the National Security Council and now an NBC News consultant. "Any al-Qaida operation of any consequence would run through him."